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The Museo Carristi (literally “Tankers’ Museum”) is hosted inside the Museo Storico della Fanteria (Historical Infantry Museum), an arrangement that is officially temporary but has been in place for some 30 years (source: M. Foti).
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External Display Area
| Location ID: | 5620 | | Latitude, Longitude: | 41.88912787, 12.51611263 | | Location Accuracy: | 7 |
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Unique ID: |
854
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Serial Number: |
“15981” stamped into right rear towing lug.
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Registration: |
“EI 103109” painted on nose and left rear hull plate.
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The serial number, direct vision slots and vertical rear hull plate indicate this is an M4 model of Sherman manufactured by Baldwin Locomotive, probably in October 1943 (source: K. Laughlin via Com-Central). It has features characteristic of a British Firefly conversion, including mounting pads for methyl bromide extinguishers ahead of the tail lights, brackets for a 17pdr towing spring, lugs for the 17pdr gun crutch on the rear deck, remains of the weld from the bow MG plug, a British cupola, and a Number 19 radio set antenna on the turret rear; these features indicate that it was a Firefly converted back to a 75mm Sherman (source: tankbarrell and recceboy via Com-Central).
A plaque in front of the tank reads as follows:
| CARRO SCHERMAN | SHERMAN TANK |
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| DI PRODUZIONE U.S.A. FU PROTAGONISTA DAL 1942 DELLE MAGGIORI OPERAZIONI DI GUERRA SU TUTTI GLI SCACCHIERI. CON LA RIORGANIZZAZIONE DELLE FORZE ARMATE L’ITALIA OTTENNE, NEL 1948, UN ALIQUOTA DI TALI MEZZI QUALI RESIDUATI DI GUERRA. RESTITUITI ALLA PIENA CAPACITA OPERATIVA DALLA PASSIONE E PROFESSIONALITA DEI CARRISTI ITALIANI ESSI COSTITUIRONO CON L’INVITTO SEGNO DELL’ “ARIETE”. IL 132: CARRI LA CUI BANDIERA VENNE ALLORA DECORATA DELLA MEDAGLIA D’ORO AL VALOR MILITARE. SEQUI NEL 1951 LA COSTITUZIONE DELLA “CENTAURO”. FU SOSTITUITO, A PARTIRE DAL 1953, DAL CARRO M47. 1 CARRISTI DI ALLORA RICORDANO CON ORGOGLIO IL CARRO SCHERMAN CHE FU SIMBOLO DELLA RESURREZIONE DELLE FORZE CORAZZATE D’ITALIA. | OF U.S.A. PRODUCTION IT WAS THE ENEMY FROM 1942 IN ALL MAJOR OPERATIONS OF THE WAR ON ALL BATTLEFIELDS. WITH THE REORGANISATION OF THE ARMED FORCES ITALY OBTAINED, FROM 1948, SOME WAR RELICS. RETURNED TO FULL OPERATIONAL CAPACITY THE PASSION AND PROFESSIONALISM OF THE ITALIAN TANKERS WITH THE INVINCIBLE NAME “ARIETE”. THE 132 TANKS WERE DECORATED WITH THE MEDAL OF GOLD FOR MILITARY VALOUR. FOLLOWING IN 1951 THE CONSTITUTION OF “CENTAURO” IT WAS REPLACED, FROM THE BEGINNING OF 1953, BY THE M47 TANK. THE TANKERS WERE THEN TO RECALL WITH PRIDE THE SHERMAN TANK THAT WAS THE SYMBOL OF THE RESURRECTION OF ITALIAN ARMOURED FORCES. |
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2) M47 Patton Tank
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American / Italian
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Unique ID: |
855
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“EI 107034” painted on upper nose and left rear hull plate.
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Blue rectangle unit marking painted on turret sides. Other markings include an Italian flag painted on the front left and right rear mudguards.
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This M47 has a data plate welded on the hull rear that indicates that it was upgraded by ASTRA S.p.A. of Piacenza on 16 September 1976. It reads:
ASTRA S.p.A.
PIACENZA – ITALIA
REVISIONE GENERALE
DATA: 16.9.76. NO. 22.9 |
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Unique ID: |
852
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Painted overall pale green as used in North Africa early in World War 2. Unit marking on superstructure sides (red, blue and yellow rectangles indicating a Battalion Commander in a three company battalion).
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This is a first series L3 with the track tension wheel joined in a bracket to the rear idler. It is mounted on a rock plinth and is missing its main armament. It has a gap where the glacis armour joins the nose indicating it may have suffered structural damage. A plaque mounted in front reads as follows:
CARRO 1-9
DELLA 1A COMPAGNIA CARRI DELLA SOMALIA | TANK 1-9
OF THE 1ST TANK COMPANY OF SOMALIA |
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QUESTO CARRO FORTUNO SAMENTE RIPORTATO IN ITALIA. COSTITUISCE IL PRIMO SACRO CIMELIO DI GLORIA E DI SACRIFICIO DELLA TRADIZIONE CARRISTA. SU DI ESSO L’11 NOVEMBRE 1935, NEL COMBATTIMENTO DI HAMANLEI-SOMALIA, SI IMMOLARONO IL CAPO CARRO SERG. MAGG. GIOVANNI SAROTTI MEDAGLIA D’ORO AL VALOR MILITARE ALEA MEMORIA ED IL PILOTA CARRISTA OCCIDENTE FAO MEDAGLIA D’ARGENTO ALLA MEMORIA NEL L’EROICO TENTATIVO DI SALVARE L’EQUIPAGGIO DI UN ALTRO CARRO COLPITO DAL FUOCO NEMICO.
A QUESTE MEMORIE CI INCHINIAMO COMMOSSI. | THIS TANK HAS FORTUNATELY BEEN RESTORED TO ITALY. IT REPRESENTS FIRST THE SACRED GLORY OF A RELIC AND OF THE SACRIFICE OF THE TRADITIONAL TANK CREW. ON 11 NOVEMBER 1935 IN THE BATTLE OF HAMANLEI-SOMALIA, WERE SACRIFICED THE TANK CAPTAIN SERGEANT MAGG. GIOVANNI SAROTTI, MEDAL OF GOLD FOR MILITARY VALOUR IN MEMORY, AND THE TANK DRIVER OCCIDENTE FAO, MEDAL OF SILVER IN MEMORY, IN THE HEROIC ATTEMPT TO SAVE THE CREW OF ANOTHER TANK HIT BY HOSTILE FIRE.
TO THESE MEMORIES WE BOW OURSELVES. |
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Unique ID: |
853
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Painted overall desert sand.
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This is a second series L3 with the track tension wheel separate from the rear idler. It is missing its main armament. It is believed to have come from Cecchignola many years ago (source: M. Foti). A plaque mounted in front reads as follows:
AL RICORDO
DEL CARRO DELLA 2A CP IV BTG
NEL QUALE VENNERO
COLPITI A MORTE
IL TEN. ANTONIO FANTUZZI
E IL CAP. SERGIO CANTONI
FRONTE DI TOBRUK 29.11.1941 | TO REMEMBER
THE TANK OF 2ND CP IV BTG
WHERE WERE
HIT AND KILLED
THE TEN. ANTONIO FANTUZZI
AND CAP. SERGIO CANTONI
IN FRONT OF TOBRUK 29.11.1941 |
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Unique ID: |
851
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3700: “RE 3700” painted on nose.
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Unit marking painted on turret sides (blue rectangle indicating Second Company Commander).
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This M14 was previously kept under cover in the Cecchignola collection and was restored by the Cecchignola team before being given to the Carristi museum (source: M. Foti). A plaque mounted in front reads as follows:
“CARRO TARGA RE 3700,
A MEMORIA DELL’UNICO SUPERSTITE.
DELLA 3/XI M.13 CHE RAGGIUNSE
LA CRESTA DI TEL EL ELSA-S.O. DI
EL ALAMEIN IL 10 LUGLIO 1942.
COLLOCATO NEL SACRARIO DI EL ALAMEIN
RICORDA L’EROICO ARDIMENTO
DEI CARRISTI ITALIANI
IN QUELLA BATTAGLIA”. | “KING TANK RE 3700,
TO THE MEMORY OF THE SOLE SURVIVOR.
OF THE 3/XI M13 THAT REACHED
THE CREST OF THE TEL EL ELSA OF
EL ALAMEIN ON 10 JULY 1942.
PLACED IN THE CHAPEL OF EL ALAMEIN
TO REMEMBER THE HEROIC COURAGE
OF THE ITALIAN TANK CREWS
IN THAT BATTLE”. |
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